Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT794
2009-06-24 11:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: MILITARY CADETS ARRESTED
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000794
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MILITARY CADETS ARRESTED
FOR MAKING FAKE BUS PASSES
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000794
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MILITARY CADETS ARRESTED
FOR MAKING FAKE BUS PASSES
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (U) SUMMARY: Two senior cadets of the Military
Institute were arrested on June 14 for making and
distributing counterfeit bus passes. The Deputy
Defense Minister promised to prosecute all those who
were involved. The cadets, dismissed from the
institute, could be jailed for up to two years. END
SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) As was learned by an Embassy Locally Employed
Staff (LES) member, whose sister works at the Military Hospital,
on Sunday, June 14 at 4:00 a.m., officers of the Internal
Counter-Intelligence Unit (ICIU) of the Ministry of
Defense arrived at the barracks of the Military Institute,
handcuffed two senior cadets, and escorted them out. The
cadets, who would have graduated and become lieutenants in
a week, were prosecuted for making and distributing
counterfeit monthly bus passes. Reportedly, the
cadets were carrying out their illegal activities
within the Military Institute's premises, using the
Institute's equipment (computers, scanners, printers),
which was the reason that the ICIU was involved in the
arrests.
4. (U) The official monthly bus pass is five
centimeter by five centimeter paper card, with no
security features (like watermarks or holographic
labels),printed on regular paper. It allows
unlimited travel on public buses and trolley buses
during one calendar month. Every month it is issued
using a different color. Passengers simply show their
monthly passes to the bus driver when exiting the bus.
There is no system of registering or scanning the
passes. Furthermore, since the passes change color
each month, the bus drivers never check the individual
pass closely to verify its validity, only glancing
at its color. The public can obtain monthly bus
passes at any bus stop kiosk or from bus/trolleybus
drivers. The fixed price for the monthly bus pass is
8 manats ($2.80). Reportedly, the cadets were selling
their fake passes for 5 manats. The passes were sold
to fellow cadets as well as to the people outside the
Institute. The LES was told by her neighbor that she
used to regularly obtain a monthly bus pass for 6 manats
from her "acquaintances." Apparently some people acted
as brokers for the counterfeit passes, buying multiple
bus passes from the cadets and re-selling them for a
modest profit, while still undercutting the official price.
5. (U) According to a Senior Lieutenant in the
military, a graduate of the same Military Institute
where the scandal took place, Deputy Minister of
Defense, General Major Muhammedguly Atabayev held a
meeting in the afternoon of the same day the cadets
were arrested and spoke about the incident.
Addressing the cadets and teachers of the Institute,
Atabayev said, "I don't know their [the arrested
cadets] future, but the investigation is under way and
if any of others of you were also involved, be sure
that we will get you." Reportedly, the order to
dismiss the arrested cadets from the Institute was
issued on the same Sunday. (NOTE: Sunday is a non-
working day in Turkmenistan.)
6. (SBU) COMMENT: According to the Criminal Code,
the forgery, production and sale of official
documents, stamps, and seals is punishable by
correctional labor for up to two years or
imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.
ASHGABAT 00000794 002 OF 002
The case will be passed to the Prosecutor General's
Office as the ICIU does not prosecute cases, but
as the interviewed Senior Lieutenant said "Military
officers are always convicted with the maximum
punishment. Most likely some other charges will
be added to them as well." The Lieutenant added
that in addition to the counterfeiting offense,
charges related to "things that they have not done"
will likely be pressed in order to justify a more
severe sentence. He noted that "that's how it
usually happens here." END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MILITARY CADETS ARRESTED
FOR MAKING FAKE BUS PASSES
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (U) SUMMARY: Two senior cadets of the Military
Institute were arrested on June 14 for making and
distributing counterfeit bus passes. The Deputy
Defense Minister promised to prosecute all those who
were involved. The cadets, dismissed from the
institute, could be jailed for up to two years. END
SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) As was learned by an Embassy Locally Employed
Staff (LES) member, whose sister works at the Military Hospital,
on Sunday, June 14 at 4:00 a.m., officers of the Internal
Counter-Intelligence Unit (ICIU) of the Ministry of
Defense arrived at the barracks of the Military Institute,
handcuffed two senior cadets, and escorted them out. The
cadets, who would have graduated and become lieutenants in
a week, were prosecuted for making and distributing
counterfeit monthly bus passes. Reportedly, the
cadets were carrying out their illegal activities
within the Military Institute's premises, using the
Institute's equipment (computers, scanners, printers),
which was the reason that the ICIU was involved in the
arrests.
4. (U) The official monthly bus pass is five
centimeter by five centimeter paper card, with no
security features (like watermarks or holographic
labels),printed on regular paper. It allows
unlimited travel on public buses and trolley buses
during one calendar month. Every month it is issued
using a different color. Passengers simply show their
monthly passes to the bus driver when exiting the bus.
There is no system of registering or scanning the
passes. Furthermore, since the passes change color
each month, the bus drivers never check the individual
pass closely to verify its validity, only glancing
at its color. The public can obtain monthly bus
passes at any bus stop kiosk or from bus/trolleybus
drivers. The fixed price for the monthly bus pass is
8 manats ($2.80). Reportedly, the cadets were selling
their fake passes for 5 manats. The passes were sold
to fellow cadets as well as to the people outside the
Institute. The LES was told by her neighbor that she
used to regularly obtain a monthly bus pass for 6 manats
from her "acquaintances." Apparently some people acted
as brokers for the counterfeit passes, buying multiple
bus passes from the cadets and re-selling them for a
modest profit, while still undercutting the official price.
5. (U) According to a Senior Lieutenant in the
military, a graduate of the same Military Institute
where the scandal took place, Deputy Minister of
Defense, General Major Muhammedguly Atabayev held a
meeting in the afternoon of the same day the cadets
were arrested and spoke about the incident.
Addressing the cadets and teachers of the Institute,
Atabayev said, "I don't know their [the arrested
cadets] future, but the investigation is under way and
if any of others of you were also involved, be sure
that we will get you." Reportedly, the order to
dismiss the arrested cadets from the Institute was
issued on the same Sunday. (NOTE: Sunday is a non-
working day in Turkmenistan.)
6. (SBU) COMMENT: According to the Criminal Code,
the forgery, production and sale of official
documents, stamps, and seals is punishable by
correctional labor for up to two years or
imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.
ASHGABAT 00000794 002 OF 002
The case will be passed to the Prosecutor General's
Office as the ICIU does not prosecute cases, but
as the interviewed Senior Lieutenant said "Military
officers are always convicted with the maximum
punishment. Most likely some other charges will
be added to them as well." The Lieutenant added
that in addition to the counterfeiting offense,
charges related to "things that they have not done"
will likely be pressed in order to justify a more
severe sentence. He noted that "that's how it
usually happens here." END COMMENT.
MILES